Genova Piazza Principe

Accessing The Cinque Terre is straightforward by train from Genova, you can be exploring any of the five charming villages within 90 mins of departing the city - and if you sit on the right, you'll also get to experience fabulous sea views for virtually the entire train journey.

The five Cinque Terre villages are linked by frequent local trains and 'Cinque Terrre Treno Cards' enable visitors to hop between the villages on these trains.

These cards can now be booked online or at any of the five Cinque Terre stations - though if you purchase them at the station make sure it's a 'Treno Card' - which includes the trains.

There are three options for taking the train to The Cinque Terrre from Genova/Genoa:

(1) Taking a direct train to one of the five villages:

(i) Taking a Regionale train:

For those who don't mind an early morning start there is a daily train which is scheduled to depart from Piazza Principe station at 07:11 and from Brignole station at 07:20 which calls in Monterosso and Riomaggiore on route to Pisa.

At 10:45 daily a train departs from Genova Brignole station heading for La Spezia and it makes calls at two of the Cinque Terre villages - Vernazza and Riomaggiore - note that this train does not depart from Piazza Principe station.

These Regionale trains are a great option, as tickets will cost the same price for these trains, even if you book last minute at the station

(ii) Taking an InterCity train to Monterosso:

Depart from Genova Piazza Principe station at 07:47 and 09:47; and from Genova Brignole station at 07:56 and 09:56.
You will save around €5 per per person if you book tickets online in advance for these trains.

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(2) Taking the cheaper Regionale trains and connecting in Sestri Levant:

This option has three three plus points which offset the need to change trains:

(i) tickets will cost the same if you book at the station.

(ii) you can connect in Sestri Levant for a train which calls at all five villages - Monterosso and Vernazza and Corniglia and Manarola and Riomaggiore.

(iii) Between 08:00 and 12:00 these trains, which have good connections in Sestri Levant, depart hourly from Piazza Principe station at around 10 mins past the hour - and from Brignole station at around 20 mins past the hour.
The timings can be slightly different on Sundays.

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(3) Taking a train to La Spezia and making connections there.

A plus of this option is that the Cinque Terre has a tourist office at La Spezia Centrale station and it sells the Cinque Terre Treno cards,  which enables visitors to hop between the five villages by train - though you can expect to queue for more than 30 mins to purchase these on a summer morning.

But these Cinque Terre Treno Cards can now also be purchased online.

The other plus of travelling via La Spezia is that you can travel to La Spezia on a comfortable express train - and then from La Spezia you'll have easy access to any of the five villages.
There are 2 or 3 x local Regional trains per hour from La Spezia to the Cinque Terre.

The morning options (confirm timings before heading to the station) for travelling to La Spezia from Genova usually are:

07:05 from Piazza Principe and 07:12 from Brignole by Frecce train*
07:11 from Piazza Principe and 07:20 from Brignole by Regionale train
07:47 from Piazza Principe and 07:56 from Brignole by InterCity train*
08:51 from Piazza Principe and 09:00 from Brignole by InterCity train*
09:47 from Piazza Principe and 09:56 from Brignole by InterCity train*
10:45 from from Brignole by Regionale train

*You can save €5 - €10 by booking tickets online in advance for these trains.